A personality questionnaire describes how someone typically prefers to behave at work: how they work with others, approach tasks and handle pressure. This guide explains the Big Five model behind most work personality questionnaires, what research says about personality and job performance, and how to use results fairly in recruitment and development.

What a personality questionnaire measures

Ability tests measure what people can do at their best. Personality questionnaires measure something different: how people tend to behave day to day. Two equally able candidates may approach the same job very differently, one planning carefully and the other improvising, one seeking out people and the other preferring to work alone. Neither is right or wrong in general, but some styles fit some roles better than others.

Most modern work questionnaires are built on the Big Five model of personality, developed through decades of research by Costa and McCrae and others [1]. The Big Five describes personality in terms of five broad dimensions: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability (sometimes described the other way round, as neuroticism).

The Talent Dimensions questionnaire

The Viewpoint Talent Dimensions personality test is built on the Big Five and is registered with the British Psychological Society. Candidates respond to 105 short statements. It is untimed and takes about 7 minutes. It measures 10 traits that matter at work, grouped into 5 clear themes, and produces reports for recruitment, development and the candidate, including interview and coaching questions.

Because the questionnaire is untimed and there are no right or wrong answers, the best approach for candidates is simply to answer honestly and quickly, thinking about how they usually behave at work.

What research says about personality and performance

Barrick and Mount's landmark meta-analysis found that conscientiousness predicted job performance across all the occupational groups they studied, while the other dimensions predicted performance in particular kinds of job, such as extraversion for managers and sales staff [2]. Later research has broadly supported this pattern.

The research also gives reasons for care. The relationships between single personality scales and performance are usually modest, and they depend on what the job actually demands. A trait that helps in one role can be neutral or even unhelpful in another. That is why personality results are most valuable when they are linked to a clear picture of the role and explored in conversation, rather than read as scores to rank people by.

Using a personality questionnaire well in recruitment

Good practice includes the following:

• Decide in advance which aspects of personality are relevant to the role, based on what the job really requires.

• Use results to shape interview questions, not to make decisions on their own. A result is a starting point for a conversation about how the candidate actually works.

• Look for evidence of behaviour. If a profile suggests a preference for working independently, ask for examples of teamwork and listen to how the candidate describes them.

• Give candidates feedback. The Candidate Report gives accessible, constructive feedback with no scores, so every candidate gains something from taking part.

A personality questionnaire is not a test with a pass mark. Different profiles bring different strengths, and the aim is to understand how someone is likely to approach the role.

Using a personality questionnaire in development

Personality results are often even more useful after someone has been appointed. In a feedback or coaching session, a profile helps people understand their natural style, the situations where it serves them well, and where they may need to stretch. The Development Report adds development suggestions and coaching questions for this purpose.

See the Talent Dimensions page, our Development Dimensions questionnaire, our personality type questionnaire, or our article on personality types at work.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Talent Dimensions questionnaire take?

It is untimed and takes about 7 minutes, with 105 short statements.

Are there right or wrong answers?

No. The questionnaire describes your preferred way of working, so the best approach is to answer honestly.

Can a personality questionnaire be faked?

Some people try to present themselves favourably. Results are most useful when explored at interview with requests for real examples, which makes an unrealistic profile easier to spot.

How is it different from a personality type questionnaire?

Trait questionnaires such as Talent Dimensions measure how much of each characteristic a person shows. Type questionnaires sort preferences into categories, such as the 16 personality types.

References

1. Costa, P. T. & McCrae, R. R. (1992). Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) professional manual. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.
2. Barrick, M. R. & Mount, M. K. (1991). The Big Five personality dimensions and job performance: a meta-analysis. Personnel Psychology, 44(1), 1–26.